Anthony & Nikita
by MissPadfoot101
Summary: This story takes place after book twelve, Heart of Obsidian (spoiler alert). Nikita faces her biggest challenge yet, and her only nightmare. Therefore, she needs to come face to face with the Nikita she buried the day her daughter was born. She must count on new allies to keep herself alive, and especially on Anthony Kyriakus if she wants to keep her sanity. Some humor...
1. Tears

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of these characters. All these belong to Nalini Singh, writer of the Psy-Changeling series. **

**Note: I could not get this story out of my mind. So, I'm trying it out. This chapter is sort of a "pilot." I'm not sure if this is something I should continue working on. I would love some feedback. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Chap. 1 -Danger **

**Nikita Duncan**

Nikita examined the droplet of liquid on her hand and acknowledged its origin. She couldn't afford to break so suddenly. After the fall of silence, it was only expected her silence would shatter under pressure and the emotions traveling around through the net.

She touched her cheek, and wiped away tears from her eyes. It was a sign that her mind was deteriorating, slowly rotting. The former councilor wouldn't admit it, but she was afraid that she would crumble under the pressure. She understood, her mind could become a dangerous weapon. An infection so damaging that it could kill many people. _She could end up killing her granddaughter._

The councilor stood and walked around the house. She had arranged her home office to model workspace. There was a bookshelf on the right side of the entrance, a beautiful mahogany shelf full of business related books. There was a small, thin book hidden among the heavy volumes. She took her eyes away and concentrated on collecting her thoughts.

She felt a familiar tuck. A mind not yet developed, but curious. Nikita suspected that her failing silence was the cause of these occurrences. If her daughter knew about this connection, she would probably cut it off, demand that she kept her distance. This she knew was the right action to take, to set the distance. But part of her mind –perhaps her broken silence -didn't want to accept it.

She greeted the curious mind. Commanding her body to relax, Nikita made her way to the kitchen to get something to drink. The curious mind sparked with happiness. Tears leaked from Nikita's eyes without her having any awareness of it.

**Anthony Kyriakus **

"Faith," he said before taking a step to go. He had contemplated the words for a while now. Before the fall of silence, he couldn't think the words without betraying his condition. It was now that he realized the words were more difficult to say than he thought. He braced himself.

"I'm proud of you."

Faith looked startled, her eyes turning deep obsidian. Soon, her hands were around his neck. He held her this time, his own hands coming around to pat her back. She reached up and kissed his cheek. He had done the right thing.

Vaughn extended his arm and they shook hands, a silent understanding passing between the two men.

"I should go," he said. "I have a meeting with Nikita."

"I feel sorry for you," Vaughn chuckled. Anthony didn't react at the comment. He understood Vaughn's feelings towards the councilor. Nikita archived her power with stealth and fearlessness, sometimes cruelty. Nikita Duncan was deep in silence. Perhaps, so deep in silence that there is no hope for her to fully assimilate to the new standard lifestyle of the net.

However, after allying with her, Anthony thought he had seen something through the uneasy alliance, something she didn't want anyone else to see. It was a spark of something, a secret that made all of Nikita's life a different story.

After saying his goodbyes, Anthony arrived at Nikita's just as her secretary left the building. He took the elevator to the penthouse and knocked on her door. She didn't respond. He knocked again. Two minutes had passed, and she did not answer.

He was about to turn and leave when the door opened. Nikita stood there, in ragged clothing, her hair messy, and tracks of mascara on her cheeks.

"Nikita?"

"Please come in Anthony," she said. "I'll explain."

It was his first time in her house and so-called home. Although, he doubted that she ever saw it that way. It was just a room for her. He glanced at her, his eyes studying the stage of her clothes, her make up.

"Were you crying?" The idea seemed unlikely. Nikita? Crying? Impossible. Nikita silence was deep, incredibly impregnable.

"I believe my mind is about to shatter," she confessed. "This could be quite dangerous."

She offered for him a seat on a large sofa in the middle of her living room. They sat next to each other. The woman in front of him was a stranger to him. She looked softer. This was not the hard-hearted Nikita. Duncan he always expected to meet.

"A virus?"

"Not exactly," she said, pulling herself together enough to wipe the dark tracks on her face with a napkin. It didn't surprise him that even with tears in her eyes, Nikita's conditioning seemed… perfect. The way she moved her body, her blank expression, the way she looked at him. It was a little creepy. However, there were slight hints, things he never seen her do that now betrayed her mental status.

"It's the fall of silence," she continued. "The voices in my head, I can't control them anymore. There is so much happening, a non-stopping buzz. It has become difficult to rest. I haven't slept in days."

"How is this possible?" He asked because he knew enough about Nikita's power to understand that she was always in control of her abilities. "Nikita?"

"There's a part to my abilities that stayed dormant while in silence." She shifted slightly, her eyes looking everywhere but him. He understood it then, clear as day. Whatever her secondary ability was, it was accelerating, if not causing, Nikita's break of silence.

"Nikita, your silence was impeccable. Did you always hear the voices?

"Whispers," she responded. "Not as loud. I could control my abilities as long as the net stayed silent. Human minds are harder to keep out. This is different. Something is eating at my shields."

"You are telling me this because you need my assistance." Anthony's psy facilities are top-notch, the best medical team among psy. It was the sanctuary to many F-psy in the net. The NightStar organization had a long history of dealing of issues of the mind. There was a high rate of insanity among the F-psy. In the last years after Faith's defection, Anthony made sure to take actions to decrease those numbers.

"You also understand the need for privacy." Nikita glanced away as a new tear rolled down her cheek. She clenched her fists on her lap. It was obvious she was angry, and attempting to strangle this new feeling.

He didn't mention it, but he knew enough about telepathy to know she was hiding something. Marine didn't just hear voices. She knew nightmares. If Nikita's silence was fragile, she might see more than she let on. Anthony didn't tell her any of his thoughts. He was going to wait and see how long it would take for her to tell him.

"I'll arrange for my brother to examine you himself. Tomorrow, meet us at the usual place." She nodded. "The house is already equipped with the necessary medical tools.

"Thank you." Nikita stood and followed him to the door. As she closed the door, Anthony felt a strange feeling relationship to the fellow ex-councilor. It was a concern. He worried about Nikita Duncan.

**Note: I could not get this story out of my mind. So, I'm trying it out. This chapter is sort of a "pilot." I'm not sure if this is something I should continue working on. I would love some feedback. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


	2. Silence

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of these characters. All these belong to Nalini Singh, writer of the Psy-Changeling series.**

**Note: I could not get this story out of my mind. So, I'm trying it out. I'm not sure if this is something I should continue working on. I understand the Psy-Chalenging fan-fictions do not have a high volume of readers, but I would love some feedback from anyone reading this story. Thanks to my new Beta, Denise, for all the help. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter.**

**Chapter 2 - Silence**

**Nikita Duncan**

It was three in the morning when Nikita got in the shower. She couldn't sleep all night, her mind catching bits and pieces of thoughts. A few of those thoughts were concerning. During the last four nights, she has been getting strange dreams. It was a voice, always around the same time during the night. At first, she thought she was listening in on someone's nightmare.

She got out of the shower and put on the most comfortable thing she could find. It was a silky gown she had gotten as a present from a human customer in Japan. Nikita had never worn it, but kept it in her closet for reasons she couldn't explain to herself. Now, the silk was soft on her skin. Sitting by the window, overlooking the streets of the city, she took the time to check her shields. They were holding, strong as always. Then, she glanced inside the shields, the part she would never reveal.

The part of her ability that remained dormant was now slowly waking up, taking 0n different shapes until it grew to it's full potential. She glanced around it, searching for the connection she kept trying to ignore and to shake out of existence before it was too late.

The mind woke with a start, sensing Nikita's mind through this unusual connection. She recognized the feelings around it, happiness, softness, curiosity, and playfulness. She sent her sparks of some kind. It didn't take long for her to realize that it was a game. Nikita sent an image of her shields. The mind tried to emulate it, sending an image of her immature shields. Nikita was impressed with the child's telepathy, definitely a high-gradient telepath. She examined the image, seeing where she had gone wrong.

She used her telepathic abilities to ease the mind back to sleep, thinking about how she was going fix this, all of it. This connection should not exist.

-RS-

Nikita read for two hours before she took the chance at waking up Sophia, one of her most trusted employees. The woman was a Psy, married to Max Shannon, her security chief. The counselor got on their nerves all the time. That didn't seem to bother her much. She was Psy.

"Sophia, I need to get the summary for that account sooner than I thought," she said into the telecom microphone. She didn't turn on the camera -afraid her face would betray her deterioration.

"Nikita, it's five in the morning," the other woman complained.

"Yes, we should meet in two hours," she responded. "Krychek sent a report with the names of high-gradient Psy seeking training after the fall of silence. We need to follow up with their progress. We also want you to speak to them, see if you can detect anything important."

Sophia sighed. "Fine, I'll see you in three hours."

"Thank you." The councilor turned of the communication device and leaned back on the sofa, back to her solitude.

-RS-

**Sascha Duncan & Lucas Hunter**

Sascha was laughing when Lucas arrived. She looked up at him, her eyes full of happy tears.

"Watch," she said, taking her daughter's small hands in hers. She helped the little girl stand and released her hands. The little girl took two, three, four steps forward before falling on her butt. She squealed in delight instead of crying. Lucas's smile widened. He pulled his little princess into his arms and showered her with kisses.

"That's my girl," he told his mate, moving to kiss her on the lips. "She'll be running around in no time."

"I can't wait until she starts shifting," Sascha confessed. "I want to know if she's going to shift into a panther or a leopard."

"Kitten, there's something I need to tell you," he said, urging her to sit on the sofa, and sitting Naya on his lap. "What's wrong?" Sascha started to read her mate's worry.

"I had an early meeting with Nikita," he explained. Sascha braced herself for what was about to come. "Sascha, she doesn't smell."

There was incredulity in her mate's words. Sascha's body took a minute to response, her eyes widening. "Could it be?"

"I don't know, Kitten," her mate responded, not wanting to raise her hopes up for nothing.

-RS-

**Anthony**

Anthony briefed his brother on Nikita's situation. Leon nodded enthusiastically, taking notes.

"You understand this is going to happen more often," his brother assured, his eyes focused. "Nikita is the last person I would have thought, but we will encounter similar cases in the future."

"It's a part of her secondary ability," Anthony responded. "If she's telling the truth, her breaking silence could prove fatal for the net."

Nikita's car had just pulled into the driveway when he glanced outside. Max Shannon was driving, something he was doing more often of late. After publically throwing her support for Kaleb, they had become the main targets of pure Psy supporters. Nikita would only trust her life to the best of her people, Max Shannon.

Shannon greeted him with a slight nod. The detective stepped aside, walking to the garden to wait for his boss. Nikita stood, moving a strand of hair away from her eyes. She had shoulder length hair, shiny and black. Today she was wearing a skirt, her long legs beautiful... Anthony blinked, taken aback by the direction of his thoughts.

"Anthony."

"Nikita," he acknowledged her, their usual greeting becoming a little amusing to him. He walked her over to Faith's old workroom. The Psy medics had made a good job at keeping all medical tools together, just in case.

"Leon, this is councilor Nikita Duncan. Nikita, this is my brother Leon." They acknowledged each other, a very Psy under silence type of greeting. Psy did not like touch.

"Brother, if you could give us some privacy." Anthony took to the garden for some air. Max was standing against the wall, looking into the forest when he stepped outside.

"What is wrong with her?" It was an unexpected question. Shannon's arms were crossed against his chest, his expression expectant.

"Excuse me?" Anthony was not used to being question this way. Besides, Nikita's business was her own.

"There's something strange about her," Max observed, "and your brother is here. He's a physician."

"It's not my place to tell," he responded with the truth.

Max took a deep breath, unsurprised. He was expecting this response. Nothing escaped Shannon's notice, absolutely nothing. It was the sign of a good detective.

Anthony continued walking, admiring the work that had been done to this small house. The place served as a prison his daughter for many years, time they could have spent together. He wouldn't tell her, but it pained him to know he wasn't there. He thought he was doing what was best for her health.

-RS-

**Nikita**

Nikita didn't favor medical settings. It was something she avoided since the death of her grandmother. She wouldn't ever express her dislike because it wasn't rational. The perfect Psy, and the perfect Psy are always rational.

Luckily, this room was not as sterile. It didn't smell like alcohol and medicine. Leon did a blood test and asked her plenty of questions, some which were quite unusual to ask a Psy under silence. She had to remember that she wasn't silent anymore, and she couldn't restrict her feelings, not even if she wanted it. In order to restrict it, she would have to cut all possible mental links, hurting the young mind now attached to her own.

"Anthony tells me something is eating away at your shields," his brother started. "I don't know if I can help if it's a virus."

Nikita nodded, "I understand. Thank you."

"Nonetheless, I will advise you take a break from work," he said, voice firm. "Your cortisol levels are high. If you are truly breaking silence, you need to take some time to deal with your ability."

She had a client in Japan about to close a contract. Nikita couldn't afford to take time off. Psy did not take a vacation, unless they were sick. You are sick, she reminded herself.

"Also," Leon continued, "it would be a good idea to see Sascha, she's an E-Psy."

This was Sascha's domain. She understood, but she couldn't go to her daughter with this, she wouldn't. She had thrown her daughter away after her defection. Afterwards, she formed an alliance with the cats to reap the benefits of her daughter's power. If Sascha knew about her mind, if she saw what she was in reality, Nikita thought Sascha would never forgive her, ever.

She met Anthony outside. He was looking up at the sky, expression pensive. Max had moved to stand by the exit door, his eyes never missing a beat.

"_Thank you, councilor,"_ she pathed. _"I owe you one."_

Anthony nodded in response. _I hope my brother's help was beneficial._

"_I'm afraid I need a different type of help."_

"_You are talking about conditioning, about Silence."_

"_Yes, the response of my dormant ability is a directive from the new changes in the net and my telepathy. I need to become silent."_

"_Nikita, you know what happens under silence. Are you willing to risk your life?"_

"_Thank you, Anthony."_ She didn't say anything else. It wasn't her life that she was worried about.

He nodded once again. Nikita started to walk and waited for him to cut the link. He didn't.

"_Nikita,"_ he pathed, his tone soothing in a way she didn't think he was aware. _"Call if you need help."_

She looked over her shoulder and nodded before walking away


	3. Max Shannon

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of these characters. All these belong to Nalini Singh, writer of the Psy-Changeling series.**

**Note: I understand the Psy-Chalenging fan-fictions do not have a high volume of readers, but I would love some feedback from anyone reading this story. Thanks to Denise for helping with this chapter. **

**Chapter 3. Max**

**Max Shannon**

Max wasn't satisfied with the new turns. Nikita couldn't afford to appear weak in any shape of form. As her security chief, it was his job to make sure nobody took advantage of that weakness. He knew there was something wrong, but he wasn't sure what it was yet.

In the last week, Nikita's behavior had been sporadic. She canceled meetings in a two-minute notice, retired home early or stayed working all through the night without an hour of sleep. The councilor might be Psy, but she understood the need for rest. She also carried the barest hints of shadows under her eyes. He took notice.

"If you want me to do my job," he said, breaking the silence. "You need to tell me what's going on."

"Nothing." Nikita answered without taking her eyes away from her organizer. The light of the device highlighted the hard lines around her eyes. Something was happening. "Regular medical check-up."

Shannon shook his head, thinking it was better not to question her this time. He would find out in due time anyway. They detoured to pick up Sophia from a meeting at DarkRiver HQ. She was meeting Ashaya, helping to put in place a method to train high-gradient Psy struggling with assimilating to the new protocol.

He always felt something warm in his heart when seeing her smile. She was giving him one of those smiles now. She got into the seat next to him and kissed him, ignoring the passenger in the back.

"I believe we have done some progress today," Sophia announced. "It's going to take all of our resources, but I have no doubt the Psy in the net will adapt. We are resilient."

Max smiled in response, happy for the woman he called his own. In the mean time, Nikita stayed silent in the back. He preferred it that way because otherwise, they would be arguing and taking orders. He started driving back to Nikita's building, his ears focused on the woman next to him.

"Judd's brother volunteered to train the youngsters on Saturday," she said, excitement in her words. "Some of the Arrows have also volunteered to help."

"Stop the car." Nikita's tone of voice was cold. Max and Sofia exchanged a glanced before looking back. Shannon watched her from the rearview mirror, the retaliation ready in his mouth. However, the site that confronted him was not the one he expected. The councilor's eyes were dark, face flushed, and there were tears in her eyes. He stomped his foot on the brakes so fast and sudden that it sent all three flying forward.

Nikita scrambled to unleash her seatbelt. She was out of the car in no time. Max ordered Sophia to take the wheel and followed the councilor. Whatever was … wrong with her, he needed to stop her before something bad happened.

"Where are you going?" He asked, anger in his voice. Something was wrong with Nikita Duncan. She pointed at a two-story house at the corner of the drive. It was painted in tones of purple and lilac, the structure damaged by time. The councilor ran up the stairs of the small house. She released a burst of telekinetic energy strong enough to slam the door open. Max had to start thinking fast now, get ready to halt or destroy the councilor if her mind had given in to insanity. It was a common occurrence in the net, Psy falling into insanity due to silence or the breaking of silence. The Psy were new to emotions. The most powerful of the Psy were usually the most destructive. He was afraid Nikita had gone rogue, in silenced Psy standard of course.

"Stop," he barked the order. It seemed to bring her back to reality for a while, her eyes narrowed. The glare she gave him was lethal. The small silence given by their exchange revealed a scream coming from the floor above. They both looked up. Max drew out his gun and started stepping up the stairs. He followed the councilor. The scene that they encountered made his blood boil.

A man, the size of tank, was holding a young girl by her collar. Two other kids watched in horror as the man punched the teenager to a pulp. He was throwing demeaning and horrific words her way.

"Put your hands in the air." Max's brain was wired for detective work, police work. He immediately started to follow the appropriate procedure. The man looked up, his anger evident on his face. It was a brutal look, dangerous glint in his eyes. He advanced towards him.

"Who are you?" The man growled, taking inventory of the gun in Max's hand. The big man grabbed one of the children and pulled a knife from his pocket. He pressed the blade into the kid's neck. The child wailed. Max found himself in a tough bargaining position.

Suddenly, the man's eyes widened, and an expression of shock took over his face. The knife fell off his hand. He was resisting the urge to release the child. Max could tell because he saw his arms slowly move, the man watched his arms move with equal fascination. The child had the chance to run. The man fell onto his knees, and his eyes turned before his body dropped lifelessly on the floor. The children ran to the teen and their arms wrapping around her waist.

Max took a deep breath and looked over his shoulders to Nikita. She was standing there, eyes dark, tears staining her cheeks with streaks of black mascara.

"You should go," he said. Max's voice was cold. It brought her back to reality, defiance coming back to her face. "It wouldn't be convenient for you if anyone learned about what happened here."

Nikita's body seemed to wake up. She took inventory of the scene and gave a strained nod.

Max walked around and pressed his fingers to the man's pulse. He was dead. The detective stood aside, watching the children huddled together. He was stunned.

-RS-

**Nikita**

The councilor walked to the waiting car with a solemn expression on her face. She knew that she was in trouble. She willed her body to relax and checked on the status of her mind. The shields were still holding. She needed to stick to her conditioning if she didn't want to betray the status of her silence.

"What happened?" Sophia asked, unable to register her boss' behavior.

"We have a meeting to attend, Mrs. Shannon." The woman raised an eyebrow. Sirens could be heard the distance.

"Now," Nikita demanded, already in the car.

"Where's Max?" She retorted. As in command, Max walked outside with three teary children following behind him. They exchanged words, and Sophia got in the car.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"We are late for our meeting," she repeated. Nikita knew what Sophia saw when she looked at the rearview mirror. She saw the perfect Psy, the perfect demonstration of conditioning.

Only Nikita knew what was going on inside.


	4. Changes

******Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of these characters. All these belong to Nalini Singh, writer of the Psy-Changeling series.**

******Note: ****Thanks to my new Beta, Zhian'tara, for helping me with this story. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I would love some feedback.**

**Chapter 4. Changes**

**Nikita Duncan**

Nikita listened to the news with the upmost attention. She would become a Pure Psy target if the media got information about her involvement. She sat on the sofa and stirred protein into a cup of milk with jerky moves. She needed to take control of her reflex reaction if she planned to keep things secret.

Max Shannon took responsibility for everything that happened in the little lilac house. The teen and children were moved into a medical facility for examination, but none of them seemed to have mentioned her name to the media.

Nikita gulped her breakfast and placed the cup on the table. It was a foolish risk. In normal circumstances, her secondary ability would have stayed silent. She wouldn't have felt anything and she wouldn't have walked into that room.

_The children might have died though_, a part of her mind, one buried deep inside, whispered. It was hard to ignore the yelling, the children's cries for help resonating through the walls of her mind, a call of distress. She took a deep breath, an exercise of control, to slow the beat of her heart before heading out the door.

-rs-

Jessica, her assistant, stared at the looming figure standing by the window. Nikita recognized him immediately. She had made it her job to learn about all the DarkRiver sentinels after her daughter defected from the Net. It was necessary.

"Jessica?" She asked without offering a greeting.

"Ms. Duncan, Sascha is here to see you." The young woman gestured toward the office's door. Nikita's gaze fell on the jaguar standing next to the window. He exuded danger, the way he stood and the way he watched her, like prey. He wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone that presented a danger to anybody in his pack. An involuntary shiver ran up her spine, but she caught the fear before it reflected on the surface. She was used to controlling her emotions, keeping up the façade.

"Good morning, Mr. D'Angelo," she greeted, keeping in line with human and changeling formalities. Anthony's daughter mated to this sentinel. The sentinel held the door open for the Councilor in response. What did Anthony think of him? She only imagined he felt the same way she felt about Lucas Hunter.

"Sascha, I thought our meeting was scheduled for tomorrow." She found Sascha standing next to her mate and with her hands curled inside his jean pockets. Nikita placed her briefcase on her desk and offered them seats. "Mr. Hunter."

"This is a social visit," Sascha responded. Nikita's thoughts returned to the event of the previous night. Did Sascha know about her slip? Had she come to offer her help? Nikita knew her daughter would offer her help. She was empathic.

Once, Anthony had asked if the E designation was a common trait in her family line. She had lied at the time; by telling him the E designation skipped a generation.

"Sascha, all of our meetings are business related." Lucas' grip tightened around his mate's hands, a silent display of support. She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and he nodded.

"I'll wait outside for you." He kissed her forehead and left the room.

"Mother," Sascha sighed. "Silence is no longer a Psy protocol. It has been almost a full year since its abolishment. Perhaps, you should come on board. Imagine. You can become an example." Sascha's words were filled with emotion, with hope.

"Silence works for me. I have always been Silent. There's no need for me to change. In fact, I can't be anything but Silent." _Lies!_ She told herself.

"We all thought the same about Kaleb," Sascha continued.

"It's different for me," Nikita said. "I can't change."

"Are you sure, mother?" A moment of tense silence between them.

Nikita felt a familiar and gentle energy wrap around her consciousness. She fixed her gaze on her daughter, suddenly concerned with her inquisitiveness. She pushed her out of her space, where her daughter couldn't read her mental essence. Sascha suspected something was wrong. Nikita kicked her out of her space before she could confirm that suspicion.

"You know I can't control it," Sascha responded, startled by her mother's response. "It's part of me."

"Has the Eldridge book helped you?

"The Eldridge book gives me an overview of my potential as an empath," she said, "but it doesn't give me instructions. I figure out most of it by myself, especially now that Naya is starting to display some empathic ability."

"You don't know what Gradient?"

"The Shine Foundation doesn't possess the equipment necessary to measure her abilities."

It could be dangerous not to measure the psychic power of Psy children, especially those born to high-gradient families. Nikita knew this by experience. She could remember the blood, the pain and tears shed. The pain, could she still feel pain? Was she capable of remembering how it felt? She wasn't sure.

She tilted her head and typed a name and a number on her organizer. She would have someone deliver the necessary equipment to the Shine Foundation. It would be a generous donation, from an anonymous Psy benefactor. Sascha's daughter, her grandchild, needed it.

A knock on the door, followed by her assistant's voice.

"Ms. Duncan, you have a meeting in five minutes," Jessica called out.

"If you would excuse me," she said, standing up. Sascha mirrored her movements.

"I'll see you tomorrow, mother," she said, her voice soft. Nikita nodded in response.

-RS-

Nikita sat at the conference table and looked out at the five men in the room. She never questioned their loyalty. There was no reason to question it, especially when she had Sascha sharing her views. Not surprisingly, Sascha always saw things clearly, without the cloud of Silence. It was a wonderful business tactic.

She glanced at the boy in charge of fetching papers and protein bars. He was young, probably around twenty years of age, and there was something unique about him.

"The collapse of Silence is shifting our business. The number of Psy living in compact building spaces is dropping by the minute," one of her strategists reported.

"If this continues, we are going to lose lots of money."

"We are not," she disagreed. "I always invested in human and changeling projects. The company might simply have to shift our focus, but we won't have a big loss. Why am I the only person to see the profits?"

The men started discussing advertising methods and current policies. She listened attentively to what they had to say, a little tired. The sleepless nights still heavy on her physical body.

After half an hour of disagreement, she called for a break and walked out of the room to stretch her legs. The sun streamed through the window and onto the narrow hall. She sat on a plush sofa in the waiting area, thinking about the people in the other room and whether or not she should trust them. She guessed that many of them disagreed with her support of Kaleb Krychek and the dismantling of Silence. They could pretty well end her business if she didn't play her cards well. The young boy from the meeting walked out of the room carrying a tray of water and assorted protein bars. He had jet black hair and tanned skin, tall and skinny.

"What is your name?" She asked immediately.

"Mark Dillon," he said. "How can I help you, Ms. Duncan?"

"You're not Silent," she stated. "Has it always been this way?"

The boy paled. Silence was no longer the protocol, but being accused of not being Silent still brought shame and fear to the most vulnerable of the population. Especially when so many Pure Psy members kept a close eye on those that dared to break Silence. Hate crime had started and escalated among the Psy population.

"Yes, madam," he said, because there was no point in hiding his status from Nikita Duncan.

"I have a small problem," she said. "You listened to most of the conversation in that room. What do you think about my fellow partners?"

"I don't understand."

"What can you tell me about them? I want your honest opinion."

"I wouldn't trust Mr. Kent or Mr. Perez." He shifted his eyes to the floor, a little unsure of himself. The young man couldn't understand why he felt distrust. It was something Psy were not supposed to feel, a gut reaction.

"Have you heard about the E designation, Mr. Dillon?" She asked.

"Yes, I heard about it," he responded. "Many people believe that Sascha Duncan, your daughter, belongs to the E designation. But it's only a rumor; we both know there's no such thing."

"Mr. Dillon, there is indeed such thing as an E designation." The young man's eyes widened, betraying his deteriorating conditioning.

"Does this mean…" He ran a hand through his hair and stepped back until he hit the wall behind him. "All these years, I thought. I don't understand. I thought…"

"You thought you were flawed," she concluded. "Yes, under Silence, all empaths are flawed, but necessary for the existence of the Net. Therefore, they were not eliminated from the Psy population. "

"What?"

"I would like to discuss business with you, Mr. Dillon. Schedule a meeting with my secretary for tomorrow afternoon." Mark stared at her and nodded slowly. He was stunned. Nikita returned to her meeting, ready to give her verdict.

-RS-

"Do you have any idea how much paperwork I had to fill out today?" Max Shannon didn't hesitate to bring up the subject of Nikita's fallout.

"She should seek medical attention." Sophia sat reading the reports on her organizer.

"There's no need to talk about me in the third person." Nikita wasn't used to this kind of behavior from her employees. "I already sought medical consult. There's nothing wrong with my physical body."

They didn't answer, contemplating the news. Most importantly, they were surprised with her irritation. Sophia sat back and pushed away the device on the table.

"I don't see how this is a problem." She laced her fingers and fixed her eyes on the Councilor.

"If your Silence is indeed breaking," Sophia said. "Why is that a bad thing?"

"Silence was implemented for a reason, Ms. Russo." Nikita didn't want to explain herself. She trusted these two people with her life, but she didn't think they would understand her reasoning.

"What could be so bad?" Sophia responded. "You saved three people yesterday. Could you imagine the potential?"

"I don't want a repeat of what happened yesterday." Nikita admitted. "I trust you are both going to keep it a secret."

Sophia and Max exchanged a glance, perplexed.

"What are you planning to do? We need to know," Sophia retorted.

"It's not your concern," the Councilor replied. "Please, focus on your work, Ms. Russo. My life is none of your concern."

Sophia flinched, her hands turning into fists. Max rubbed her shoulders and inclined his head towards the door. Sophia followed her husband out of the room.

They disagreed with her decision. It was an unexpected feeling to pick up on, but she read it clearly on their mental scent. She took a minute to examine her shields and the central core of her mind. The blue hue of color emanating from the center core alerted the awakening of her empathic ability. It was twisting and growing, now mixing with her telepathic ability. This needed to stop.

The Net couldn't return to Silence. It would rot under the protocol. However, this wave of uncontrollable power threatened to end her life, and anyone linked to her mind. She had done her research. Reconditioning started to look like the best and least harmful of options.

**Sophia Russo & Max Shannon**

"I don't understand," Sophia told her husband once they entered their cozy apartment. She took off her shoes and rubbed the sore pads of her feet. "Could it be a virus? Do you think she will turn into some sort of monster?"

"I don't know, sweetheart." Max walked into the kitchen and rummaged for glasses.

"And the supply list," she continued. "Did you read the supply list?"

Max brought her glass of water from the kitchen, an eyebrow raised. He sat on the sofa next to her and held up her feet for his own personal massage. She giggled when he caressed the bottom.

"What about the supply list?"

"She ordered a telekinetic energy reader and a psychic energy meter," she said.

"She's Psy," Max reasoned. "If her Silence is breaking, perhaps she needs to take a close look at her abilities."

"This is Nikita Duncan we are talking about," she said. "She already has access to the equipment, besides these machines are not good for developed minds."

"What are you telling me, Sophia?"

"Max, she detailed the order to deliver the equipment to the Shine Foundation," she said. "Do you understand?"

"Uhm," Max stopped moving his hands on her feet. They shared a knowing glance, their expressions contoured with a blend of emotions.

"I think it's time to reevaluate our image of the Councilor," he said, obviously intrigued. They knew about Nikita Duncan. But who was the real Nikita Duncan? What was she hiding? Why was she hiding it?

-RS-

Thanks for reading! :)


	5. On The News

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of these characters. All these belong to Nalini Singh, writer of the Psy-Changeling series.**

**Note: I understand the Psy-Chalenging fan-fictions do not have a high volume of readers, but I would love some feedback from anyone reading this story. Thanks to Zhian'tara for helping with this chapter. She helps me brainstorm and to get all the information correctly. Thank you Denise!**

**Chapter 5… On The News**

**Anthony's POV**

Anthony Kyriakus enjoyed his work as the head of PsyClan NightStar immensely. It wasn't just business for him. It was about helping people. The Psy under his care put their mental health in his hands, trusted him to do his research and to make the best decisions. He liked that aspect of his work because he had never been as Silent as the image he projected. It was a secret he would have taken to the grave.

The NightStar PsyClan, and by extension the Kyriakus family, had a good reputation. They worked hard and earned clean money, but they were not afraid to exert their influence or even strike covertly when necessary. The power they possessed and their reputation made them one of the most important families in the world.

Anthony finished up a meeting with his key strategists and the agency's head doctor. His half-brother Leon had earned this position through hard work and persistence.

He was also gifted at explaining medical research and procedures to businessmen with no experience in the field.

"We should refurnish the center," his brother said after the strategists were dismissed. There was the tiniest indication of a smile on Leon's lips. It tugged something inside Anthony to know that his family didn't have to hide their personality anymore.

"You should ask Sahara for help," Anthony suggested. She was the reason his brother smiled today. Silence was finally abolished, his daughter was back in his life, and she was happy. "I'm sure she'll have some recommendations."

Sahara had a vibrant spirit and determination. Anthony didn't have to break conditioning to recognize it. After some deep discussions, they had approved of her relationship with Krychek. This was because Kaleb had proved to be efficient in both, taking care of Sahara and making her happy. Leon and Anthony would not accept anything less than happiness for Sahara.

"She will probably call Faith and bring her into the project," Leon responded. "We'll have two devoted, but bossy women to deal with for the next three months."

Anthony considered the possibility. He'd had little time with his daughter since her infancy. If he could find some time to spend with her…

"I'll speak to Faith," he said, scheduling time on his organizer. He stood and brushed up his jacket.

"I know this is not my business," his brother said, "but I would like to speak further with Ms. Duncan about her situation."

"Why?"

"I have been working with a small group of high-Gradient telepaths, Arrows." Leon pathed his brother the information he had collected. "Three out of seven of them possess some significant E designation ability."

"Were they aware of the fact?"

"No," his brother answered, "but they have been struggling more than their counterparts during the last seven months."

Anthony made the connection, "Like Nikita. You're suggesting that empathic ability formerly suppressed by the Silence Protocol is fragmenting their conditioning now that Silence has fallen."

"It would appear so," Leon responded. "If we examine their abilities closely, we will be able to predict the outcome for others with empathy in their skillset. They have agreed to move into the facility for a short period of examination if Walker Lauren will help oversee the process. They have a history of trust with him that should be beneficial if any deep conditioning work is required."

"Please, keep me updated." Shortly after that statement, Anthony's communication channel chimed. He blinked and stared at the machine until its third ring.

"Mr. Kyriakus." Kaleb's voice came through the communicator. "I suggest you turn on the news."

Anthony turned on his personal organizer's holographic screen. The image projected on the wall. A female newscaster with a clean-cut suit and curly blond hair appeared. She was standing in front of Kaleb's building in Moscow.

"Pure Psy members dug into the past of the three Councilors responsible for the abolishment of Silence: Kaleb Krychek, Anthony Kyriakus, and Nikita Duncan. Today, Pure Psy leaked letters and journals with incriminating information to news outlets across the world."

Kaleb teleported into the office to join them.

Anthony sagged into the chair behind him. He exchanged a glance with his brother and with his niece's chosen partner. Kaleb narrowed his eyes, his hands fisting, a tell tale sign of his aggravation. What did Pure Psy have on Krychek? Anthony wondered.

The newscaster continued, "Aaron Black, the most prominent and recognized Silence supporter, has studied the documents and spoken openly about their content in an interview with our news channel."

The screen faded to black and opened up to an image of Aaron Black, sitting with an old time Psy newscaster, Blaine Ginn.

"These documents suggest that our new Council body of government has always been flawed, even under the Silence Protocol. What do you think about these allegations?"

"Mr. Ginn, it's obvious that these documents need to be examined closely," the man said. "Most of these documents appear to come from unknown sources. I would like to see primary sources."

"You are saying these documents are not from trusted sources. Should the public ignore these allegations?"

"The public should question their new leaders. According to these documents, Nikita Duncan's family has a history of high-Gradient E-Psy in their mix. The designation appears to have skipped Ms. Duncan alone. Obviously, she has reasons to support the abolishment of Silence. Her only genetic offspring is an E-Psy with high-Gradient abilities who left the Net due to flawed conditioning. I question her motives. Nikita has a questionable history."

"What can you tell us about the allegations against Kaleb Krychek?"

"The allegations against Krychek are fundamental. He is powerful and a protégée of Santano Enrique. Now, there we'll need to do more research. What kind of abilities does his partner Sahara Kyriakus possess? There are rumors that her powers are incomparable. She's not Silent and a danger. What kind of influence does she have over Kaleb Krychek? He is widely acknowledged as the most powerful man in the Net. There is a lot on the line."

"I don't understand, Mr. Black."

"Mr. Ginn, it would appear that Mr. Krychek, Ms. Duncan, and Mr. Kyriakus allied together to use this Sahara Kyriakus's abilities to take over the Net. Have you noticed that some of the former Councilors are missing?"

"Anonymous members of Pure Psy informed us they will continue to release information about the Councilors over the next four weeks, building up to their largest charges and agendas. What should the Psy population expect?" Mr. Ginn asked.

"Flawed Psy," Black replied, "with a history of murder, extortion, and manipulation. The Councilors don't care about the population. They are flawed, what's not to say they are not doing this for themselves. The Psy in the Net should start putting their loyalty behind Ming LeBon. He has proven himself time after time to be trustworthy."

"Do you support Pure Psy?"

The interview continued on with more conjecture than substance. Anthony, Kaleb, and Leon watched for a few minutes before they turned off the screen.

"They made Sahara a target." Leon broke the silence, his narrowing eyes focusing on Kaleb.

"I will die before letting any harm come to Sahara." Intense words, the words of a man who had given his soul to the woman he loved.

In the mean time, Anthony reached out to Nikita through a mental pathway.

"_We need to stop them,"_ she said, her words coming in fast. _"There's no knowing the type of information they might have on us."_

"_Yes, but first we need to talk,"_ was Anthony's quick response. _"If Pure Psy plans to release incriminating information about us, then we need to come clean about our past, Nikita."_

Anthony was direct with his fellow Councilor. He thought he knew all there was to know about Nikita. The knowledge made him uneasy, not because it gave him a disadvantage, but because he had a soft spot for the Councilor everybody considered a bitch.

He had worked closely enough with her to relate. The Councilor might have everybody fooled about her motivations, but he thought differently about her actions. Nikita was the type of Psy who hid emotional motivations under those expected by a Silent society. Perhaps she wasn't even aware of the fact, but he had known her long enough to suspect her tactics… and her motivations.

-RS-

"_Why didn't you tell me about your family?"_

"_I did not think it was important for our business dealing."_

"_Nikita,"_ Anthony was finally and for the first time feeling frustration. It was not a pleasant feeling.

Anthony, Nikita, and Kaleb had a small meeting at DarkRiver HQ with the SnowDancer and DarkRiver alphas. They wanted to come to an agreement about what steps to take after the information leaked. However, the discussion was going nowhere. The Councilors were not willing to put everything on the table.

"_I still don't see the need for this,"_ Nikita pathed.

"_The changelings and humans have no reason to trust us,"_ he reminded her. _"We need to make sure they support us. They demanded it."_

Max Shannon sat next to Nikita, his eyes scanning her briefly before he tilted his head to the side, lips pressed together. The alphas sat on the opposite side of the table with Lucas next to Sascha and Hawke next to Judd. A female changeling Anthony recognized as Indigo sat on the other side. Kaleb came accompanied by his personal assistant Silver Mercant. Anthony was the only person to come alone.

"Thanks to DarkRiver and SnowDancer, the parts of my life I wanted destroyed are already destroyed and buried," Kaleb confessed, an hour into the meeting and to the shock of the changelings and humans in the room. They didn't expect him to be open about his past, that was never going to happen. "Pure Psy might try to implicate me in Santano Enrique's dealings, but I was only his toy."

He didn't give any explanations or details. It was a strong statement, with enough information to appease the two alphas. Anthony knew from his research that they would understand. The SnowDancer alpha was mated to a cardinal X-Psy. According to his contacts, Sienna Lauren became Ming LeBon's pet, his personal toy and weapon of choice. The alpha would understand. So for that matter, would Lucas Hunter and Faith's mate, Vaughn D'Angelo.

"What about Sahara?" The question came from his daughter's mate. Kaleb's expression didn't change, but he stared at Vaughn long enough to make the changeling (and for some reason Judd Lauren) chuckle in response. Kaleb had stared him down.

"_What do you know about Sahara, Nikita?"_

"_I only know what you've told me,"_ she replied. _"Is she powerful?"_

"_Sahara's powers are unique, but I trust Kaleb will keep her safe."_ And away from Pure Psy hands.

"Apart from the allegations against Sahara," Anthony said to the group, "I suspect Pure Psy will try to use the Kyriakus family's history of madness associated with the F designation to their advantage. Nonetheless, I will make sure to point out that the madness was demonstrably worse under Silence."

"Mother," Sascha spoke up for the first time during the meeting. "What do you have to say?

Sascha sat with her hands intertwined with her mate's, her eyes expectant and on her mother's.

"Pure Psy does not have any information that might prove damaging to my business." Nikita fixed her gaze on her daughter. She was composed, her head held high and looking as beautiful as always. It was hard to think of her as the same woman he had found in her apartment not long ago.

"_She needs to know about her family,"_ he advised. _"Sascha might be separated from your life, but she's still important. It will help her understand her ability."_

"_It's not relevant."_

"I'm not sure of the nature of the information they unearthed on my part. However, I am aware of my existing reputation," she said. "They cannot give the public any information they might not already suspect or otherwise supported by the Silence Protocol. Pure Psy would have to pin the blame on my Silence, and I don't see that happening."

Disbelief swept across the room. Nikita was using Silence to combat any allegations Pure Psy might bring to the game, and she was right. The majority of the changeling and human population considered Nikita a heartless woman. Rumor had it that she came to power by bloodying her hands. She might have killed a few people before becoming a Councilor. Nonetheless, none of her tactics were new to the Psy population. The thirst for power was stronger than morality.

"_Leon shared some interesting information with me this morning,"_ Anthony pathed. _"It might be of some use to you."_

"We came to similar conclusions," Hawke added. "Obviously, their plan is to diminish your reputation and divide the population in order to strike. We'll be ready if they become a more direct threat to your leadership."

Lucas nodded in agreement from the other side of the table. It was quickly decided they would follow up on any leads that might help capture any Pure Psy that could prove a threat to the city.

"_Half the population is putting too much support behind Ming,"_ she pathed. "_He's as damaged as Santano Enrique." _

"_That's what we have been trying to tell you." _

"Mr. Black is wrong in encouraging people to follow LeBon's lead," Lucas murmured. "We need to keep an eye on the situation."

"Yes," they both said in unison, getting a few stares from the people in the room.

"There's one more thing," Kaleb said before the meeting concluded. He twisted his body and looked directly at the SnowDancer alpha.

"What?" Hawke asked.

"Ming LeBon might be the new head of Pure Psy," he said. "My sources have not been able to confirm it, but Pure Psy methods implicate him."

"Understood," the alpha responded. Anthony suspected there was more underneath the small exchange.

"_Nikita,"_ he started again, thinking carefully through the words.

"_Anthony?"_

"_She needs to find out from you."_

She turned to look at him, her expression unchanged, except for the brightness in her eyes. There was something there, something she didn't want anybody to tap into, at least not any time soon. He made a quick decision, his mind racing through the possibilities and trying to find an explanation for his curiosity. He could help Nikita get through this hurdle and in the process he would discover the woman behind the façade.

-RS-

~Thanks for Reading!


End file.
